


Phantom of Republic City

by Jausten320



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, But don't be fooled this is a Makorra fic, Canon through end of season 4, Detective Mako, Detectives, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, Implied/Referenced Torture, Korrasami is Canon, Murder, Murder Mystery, Post-Canon, Romance, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Thriller, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24601156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jausten320/pseuds/Jausten320
Summary: Detective Mako needs the Avatar's help. Something is hunting benders and non-benders alike in Republic City. As disappearances and gruesome killings escalate, can Korra help Mako catch the city's darkest villain?(*part of the universe of my one shot, the Necklace, but not necessary to read that first)
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Korra/Mako (Avatar), Varrick/Zhu Li Moon
Kudos: 17





	Phantom of Republic City

**Author's Note:**

> So this story was inspired by my one shot, the Necklace, but it's not necessary to read that first as it will be repeated (and expanded) later here. This is set after the end of season 4, and ignores any comics.
> 
> I love true crime, so get ready for some murder! I've got the first few chapters ready to go, so I'm hoping to keep regular updates and I have the plot outlined. I'm not sure on the length yet, but I've got a few thousand words so far, so we'll see how this goes together. I hope you enjoy reading!

Mako pulled the car over to the curb, turning off his siren before stepping out. Asami really did a great job with these new models, Mako thought. 65 ostrich horse power really made a difference chasing bad guys.

The dark street was empty except for Mako, four other police cars, and the coroner’s truck parked among them. Another body then.

This part of the city had been hit by the spirit vines, but Mako knew some of the worn-down houses were still occupied. He didn’t see any lights on among the cracked or boarded-up windows. The occasional piece of trash littered the weed-riddled sidewalk. Some graffiti marked the door directly on Mako’s left. The street was silent. No one was out amount the flashing red and blue.

Sighing, Mako took out his notepad and turned left down the nearby alley, ducking under the crime scene tape. Ahead, he saw the other officers standing and someone, probably the coroner, kneeling down next to a fabric-covered shape.

A very small shape.

Picking up his pace, Mako caught up to the officers. One officer, face grim, turned away from the shape and looked at Mako. “Evening, Detective.”

Glancing around at the other officers, standing silently and looking distressed, Mako asked, “Another body? Same as the others?”

The officer grimaced, “This one is pretty young.”

“God,” another officer muttered before putting a hand over his mouth and turning away.

“How young?” Mako asked, voice low.

“Just a baby. A fucking baby.” The officer’s hand shook as he covered his eyes. “I found him on my rounds.”

Kneeling down next to the coroner, Mako asked what the time of death had been.

“Hard to know. At least a day. Looks like the body’s been frozen. Temp is way too low for this heat wave.” The coroner looked down at her clipboard. “The body has definitely been dumped. And not long ago. There was still ice on the skin when he was found.”

“Cause of death?”

“There’s a lot of trauma. Impossible to know until I do the autopsy.” She stood up and removed her gloves. “It’s bad, Detective. He couldn’t have been more than a few months old.”

“Must be the missing Chen baby then. He was three months old.”

Mako reached over to pull back the sheet, exhaling sharply when he saw the baby’s grey face. Flecks of white ice clung to the baby’s dark hair. His small face was sunken, and a red line, dotted with rough stitches, marred the crown of his head. Mako pulled the sheet further and found the baby’s chest marked with a large y-shaped incision. One of his hands was missing.

Feeling sick, Mako covered the tiny face once again.

“We’ve got to catch this bastard.” Mako had never seen a dead baby before. He hoped to never see one again. 

“You think it’s him? The Doctor?” One officer spoke up. 

Mako stood. “Looks like it. The body has the same markings, like an autopsy has been performed. I’m sure we’ll find the other signs too.”

Mako turned towards the other officers, walking towards a young woman holding a camera.

“Did you photograph the scene?”

The woman holding the camera looked up, eyes red. “Yes,” she whispered. “He’s just a baby.”

Mako placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna catch this guy.”

After a silent moment, Mako asked, “What’s your name?”

She took a deep breath. “It’s Lai.”

“Lai, did you notice anything while you were taking pictures? Any evidence?”

She set down the camera, carefully handling the flash bulb and silvery reflector. “Not really. Looks like some one just appeared out of thin air, put him down, and left. No tire marks in the street, no foot prints here. We sprayed with luminol and no blood anywhere, but I’m not sure how reliable that new stuff is, whatever the people at Varrick Industries say. We dusted around the body for prints, nothin’.”

Mako gave a frustrated grunt in response. “Any witnesses?”

Lai snorted. “Around here? Even if anyone saw anything, which I doubt, it’s not like anyone in these parts would talk to us.”

“I’ll have someone knock on doors, just in case.” Mako waived over another office, who stepped up hesitantly. “Go look around, see if anyone’s awake and saw or heard something.”

The officer looked doubtful, but nodded before heading off to do as Mako asked, taking another officer with him.

The coroner walked over to Mako and Lai. “Can I take the body down to the morgue now? I want to get started on the autopsy as soon as possible, and I don’t want the body to thaw too quickly out in this heat.” At Mako’s grimace, she added, “That could destroy evidence.”

“Yeah, we’re done here, Ahnah.”

She turned back to the body, but stopped and looked over her shoulder at Mako, “You’ll need to have one of the parents come in the morning to identify the body. We have to be certain it’s him.” 

Mako wasn’t looking forward to visiting the Chens. They’d be so adamant their baby was alive. Mr. Chen called the station everyday for updates on his son. Mako could picture Mrs. Chen clutching his hands, begging him to bring her baby home. 

Mako doubted this was the homecoming they had in mind.

Suddenly feeling exhausted, Mako walked back to his car. What would he say to them? What could he say? Their son was dead. 

Mako sat in the car staring out the windshield. He thought about what people had said to him when his and Bolin’s parents died. None of it had helped. Sighing, he turned the ignition and turned off his police lights. This had been going on too long. At least a dozen dead at the hands of the Doctor.

Pulling into the deserted street, Mako decided it was time to get some backup.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to keep things with the 1930s in mind, in case anyone is curious about the time. The show seems to be mostly 1920s, with a dab of 30s and even 40s, so I figure I can be flexible. Luminol was actually around in the 30s, though I'm taking some liberties with its use.


End file.
